The killing of a former Shiv Sena (UBT) Councillor, and son of a former MLA, Abhishek Ghosalkar, has taken Mumbai by storm. The incident was streamed live on Meta on Thursday. Mauris Noronha allegedly began firing in his office around 8.30 p.m. The office is in IC Colony, Borivali, Mumbai. Ghosalkar was shot in the abdomen and shoulder. He was taken to Karuna Hospital but was declared dead. At 1:30 a.m., he was taken to J.J. Hospital in Byculla for post-mortem. At 4.45 a.m. Friday, he was moved to Shatabdi Hospital in Kandivali where his remains were kept in the morgue. At 10:30 a.m. on Friday, his body was moved to the morgue freezer and then taken to his residence in Daulat Nagar Borivali.
The assailant was identified as Mauris Noronha. Initially, 5 rounds were fired from the 15-cartridge capacity pistol out of which 4 bullets hit Abhishek Ghosalkar. After shooting Ghosalkar, Noronha went to the rooftop of the office, loaded the pistol with bullets and shot himself in the head.
According to Mumbai police, Noronha had hired a private bodyguard (identified as Mishra) who had a licensed gun that was kept in his office, the crime spot. Two FIRs have been filed, murder and suicide; with the Mumbai Police’s Crime Branch leading the investigation.
Criminal background
During the investigation, the authorities gathered statements from Mauris’s family and close friends who said that Noronha had vowed to kill Ghosalkar. Noronha, who was released on bail in June 2022 after his arrest in a rape case, apparently developed a friendship with Abhishek Ghosalkar.
According to sources, the assailant, Mauris Noronha, had received a notice regarding his rented office space where the crime occurred on February 8. The notice was sent via post by Eugenie Paul Dias, owner of the office. Noronha had defaulted on rent for six months. On March 11, 2024, Noronha was formally instructed to vacate the office premises.
A person named Mehul Parikh who was a guarantor in the rental agreements, was also present at the crime scene when the Meta live was broadcast. The Mumbai police have arrested Mr. Parikh and are investigating him to determine whether he played a role in the crime or had prior information on the shooting.
Mauris had returned to Mumbai recently from Los Angeles with aspirations to contest in the upcoming local body elections against Abhishek Ghosalkar. The allegations of rape led to his wife divorcing him, and they were living separately. Many speculate that Morris’s personal struggles and political ambitions contributed to his mental state.
Ghosalkar’s cremation took place around 4 p.m. at Daulat Nagar cemetery. Ghosalkar is survived by his wife and two children.
This in contrast to Noronha’s body which remained at Cooper Hospital for the entire day because Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church in IC Colony, refused to accept his body. Father Jerry from the church had opposed the burial. This decision brought public attention to the issue, with the nearest public church in Gorai also declining the burial request.
Unwanted remains
The church officials said, “We will not permit the burial here considering his crime record over the past few years. This issue has become politicised, and we seek to avoid controversy. We cannot predict mob mentality, so it is prudent to take precautions to prevent regret. Our decision is not based on the cause of death; we welcome all as the Lord’s choice. Ghosalkar was loved by the residents of IC Colony and all of Borivali. Accepting Mauris’s cremation in IC Colony will only hurt sentiments and peace. Mauris used to be a generous person but since he got into politics, he turned into a goon,” said a church official.
However, the police officials claimed that by 3 p.m., they were able to convince the church authorities to accept the body for the burial. Ultimately the burial took place at Haines Road Cemetery in Mahalaxmi around 4 p.m. Mauris is survived by his mother, wife and daughter.
A sea of people from all religious communities gathered outside Ghosalkar’s residence to pay their last tributes. Ghosalkar had made a place in people’s hearts with his philanthropic work in the neighbourhood from a very young age. Every resident had something nice to say about his work, personality and selfless nature. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray, Aditya Thackeray along with other party members paid their tributes to the remains of Ghosalkar at his residence.
No fear of law
Udesh Patekar, a local UBT Sena leader, came to offer his prayers at the funeral of Ghosalkar and said, “It is a well-planned murder. There is no fear of law and order in the State. Our Maharashtra was not like this before.”
Ambadas Danve, a Sena (UBT) leader at the funeral, said, “The political crime that we usually see in Bihar and U.P., is now happening in Maharashtra and specially in Mumbai. It is a matter of shame. The Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister should accept responsibility for maintaining law and order in the city and not allow goonda raj.”
Vinu Nair, a resident who was close to Ghosalkar and Mauris, said, “Abhishek had come to IC Colony yesterday for the distribution of saris to underprivileged women. The enmity between them was political and escalated with the rape allegations against Mauris that affected his family life, and it seems unlikely that Mauris, who was not predisposed to violence, would commit such an act. He had helped a lot of people during the COVID-19 lockdown.”
